Removable article holding device

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for facilitating the removable attachment of an infant seat to a bicycle which includes a bracket permanently attached to the goose-neck of the bicycle and adapted to removably receive portions of said infant seat.

United States Patent [1 1 Luschen et al.

[ July 3,1973

REMOVABLE ARTICLE HOLDING DEVICE Inventors: Fred H. Luschen, 711Greenview Road, Itasca; Raymond C. Piccony, 246 Pamela Drive,Bensenville, both of 111.

Filed: Jan. 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 214,811

US. Cl. 280/202 Int. Cl B62j 9/00 Field of Search 280/202 ReferencesCited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7/1943 Sweden 280/202 678,0448/1952 Great Britain 280/202 Primary Examiner-Philip GoodmanAttorney-Richard W. Carpenter ABSTRACT An arrangement for facilitatingthe removable attachment of an infant seat to a bicycle which includes abracket permanently attached to the goose-neck of the bicycle andadapted to removably receive portions of said infant seat.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures REMOVABLE ARTICLE HOLDING DEVICE It is aprimary object of this invention to provide an improved means andmechanism, which is relatively A more specific object of the inventionis the provi- I sion, in an arrangement of the type described, of abracket which may be easily attached permanently to the goose-neck ofmost any type of bicycle, and which is adapted to engage and interlockwith portions of a removable infant seat.

These and other object of the invention will be more readily apparentfrom an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bicycle having a removableinfant seat attached thereto by an arrangement embodying features of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse, vertical section taken on line 3--3ofFIG.l;-

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of part of the structureillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on 6 6 of FIG. 5.

It will be understoodthat, for purposes of clarity, certain elementshave been intentionally omitted from certain views where they arebelieved to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, it will be seen that aremovable infant seat, indicated generally at S, is shown attached to abicycle B which includes a frame F and handlebars H interconnected inthe conventional manner by a goose-neck member G.

Easy removable attachment of the seat to the bicycle is accomplished bythe novel mounting bracket member 10 which is permanently secured to thegoose-neck G of the bicycle by the bolt which is a standard part of anyconventional bicycle.

Mounting bracket member 10, as best seen in FIG. 4, includes a generallyU-shaped central portion 12 having an opening 14, for receiving bolt 15,and a pair of laterally spaced, horizontally extending shelf portions 16presenting slots 18 extending therethrough, for re ceiving portions ofseat S in a manner hereinafter described.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, seat S includes a frame, indicated at 20,which includes a somewhat horseshoe shaped lower support rim having sideportions interconnected by one or more cross-stuts 24 which support acushion 26. Frame 20 also includes an upper guard or rim 28 connected atthe rear of the seat by a vertical stut 29.

At the forward end of the seat upper and lower rims 28 and 22 areinterconnected by a pair of elongated, vertically extending support andmounting braces 30 which extend a substantial distance below lower rim22. At their upper ends braces 30 each present a forwardly facingretaining hook member 32 which has a horizontal portion 33, adapted tobe seated on and supported by a related horizontal shelf portion 16 ofmounting bracket 10, and a depending vertical portion 34, adapted toextend downwardly through slot 18 of a related shelf portion 16 ofmounting bracket 10.

At their lower extremities vertical braces 30 present foot rest members36 which may be adjustably secured thereto by bolts 37 extending throughvertically spaced holes 38.

Vertical braces 30 are interconnected, intermechate their ends, by anintegral, horizontally extending crossbar 40 which has permanentlyattached to its forward side a quick-release type clamp 42 and buckle 44adapted to engage and detachably connect the seat to the goose-neck orframe of the bicycle.

Thus, it will be seen that the novel seat and mounting arrangementprovides both means and apparatus for quickly attaching to or removingan infant seat from a conventional bicycle which has been modified onlyby the permanent attachment of the special mounting bracket 10 which canremain in place at all times without interfering in any way with thenormal operation of the bicycle.

After mounting bracket 10 has been permanently secured to thegoose-neck, as previously described, the seat may be easily placed intoposition with the hook members of the seat engaging the shelf portionsof the mounting bracket and with vertical braces 30 disposed on oppositesides of the goose-neck and related portion of the bicycle frame withthe cross bar 24.of the seat against the rear of the gooseneck. Buckle44 of clamp 42 is then snapped in place to lock the seat in position andthereby prevent its accidental detachment therefrom. To remove the seatwhen its use is not desired buckle 44 is unsnapped and the seat islifted from the bicycle.

While the above description and drawings describe and illustrate thenovel mounting bracket as used for facilitating the removable attachmentof an infant seat, it will be appreciated that it may serve equally wellfor attachment of a basket or other type of holding member (notspecifically illustrated) provided with a similar pair of verticalmounting braces having hook elements for engaging the shelf portions ofmounting bracket 10 and a cross stut presenting a clamp and buckle forquick attachment to and release from the goose-neck of a bicycle.

We claim:

1. In a removable infant seat arrangement for a bicycle, the combinationof:

a. a bicycle having a frame including a vertical portion, a pair ofhandlebars, and a goose-neck having one portion received within andsecured to the vertical portion of said frame and having another portionreceiving and secured to said handlebars;

b. a mounting bracket having a generally U-shaped center portionattached to said! goose-neck, and including a pair of transverselyspaced shelf portions extending laterally outward from upper portions ofsaid center portion and presenting aperatures for receiving portions ofa removable infant seat;

c. a removable infant seat including:

i. a chair member;

ii. a pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending mounting elementsattached to said chair member and having, at their upper ends,downwardly extending hook portions adapted to be removably receivedwithin respective aperatures of said mounting bracket shelf portions;

iii. a horizontally disposed cross element extending between saidmounting elements and including quick-release clamping means forremovable attachment to the goose-neck of said bicycle.

' 2. In a removable articleholding device arrangement for a bicycle, thecombination of:

a. a bicycle having a frame including a vertical portion, a pair ofhandlebars, and a goose-neck having one portion received within andsecured to the vertical portion of said frame and having another portionreceiving and secured to said handlebars;

b. a mounting bracket having a generally U-shaped center portionattached to said goose-neck, and including a pair of transversely spacedshelf portions extending laterally outward from upper portions of saidcenter portion and presenting aperatures for receiving portions of aremovable article holding device;

. a removable article holding device including:

i. an article holding member;

ii. a pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending mounting elementsattached to said article holding member and having, at their upper ends,downwardly extending hook portions adapted to be removably receivedwithin respective aperatures of said mounting bracket shelf portions;

iii. a horizontally disposed cross element extending between saidmounting elements and including quick-release clamping means forremovable attachment to the goose-neck of said bicycle.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said article holdingmember is an infant seat.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said article holdingmember is a basket.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said mounting bracket ispermanently secured to said goose-neck by the same bolt that is normallyused to secure the goose-neck to the related vertical portion of thebicycle frame.

6. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said clamping meansincludes a generally U-shaped clamping element adapted to receive saidgoose-neck, and a quick-release buckle element movably connected to oneforward end of the clamp element and adapted to be removably connectedto another forward end of said clamp element in front of saidgoose-neck.

7. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said infant seatincludes a lower cushion supporting frame and an upper retaining andsupporting frame.

8. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said verticallyextending mounting elements present, adjacentthe lower ends thereof,outwardly projecting foot rests.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the vertical position ofsaid foot rests is readily adjustable.

1. In a removable infant seat arrangement for a bicycle, the combinationof: a. a bicycle having a frame including a vertical portion, a pair ofhandlebars, and a goose-neck having one portion received within andsecured to the vertical portion of said frame and having another portionreceiving and secured to said handlebars; b. a mounting bracket having agenerally U-shaped center portion attached to said goose-neck, andincluding a pair of transversely spaced shelf portions extendinglaterally outward from upper portions of said center portion andpresenting aperatures for receiving portions of a removable infant seat;c. a removable infant seat including: i. a chair member; ii. a pair oflaterally spaced, vertically extending mounting elements attached tosaid chair member and having, at their upper ends, downwardly extendinghook portions adapted to be removably received within respectiveaperatures of said mounting bracket shelf portions; iii. a horizontallydisposed cross element extending between said mounting elements andincluding quick-release clamping means for removable attachment to thegoose-neck of said bicycle.
 2. In a removable article holding devicearrangement for a bicycle, the combination of: a. a bicycle having aframe including a vertical portion, a pair of handlebars, and agoose-neck having one portion received within and secured to thevertical portion of said frame and having another portion receiving andsecured to said handlebars; b. a mounting bracket having a generallyU-shaped center portion attached to said goose-neck, and including apair of transversely spaced shelf portions extending laterally outwardfrom upper portions of said center portion and presenting aperatures forreceiving portions of a removable article holding device; c. a removablearticle holding device including: i. an article holding member; ii. apair of laterally spaced, vertically extending mounting elemeNtsattached to said article holding member and having, at their upper ends,downwardly extending hook portions adapted to be removably receivedwithin respective aperatures of said mounting bracket shelf portions;iii. a horizontally disposed cross element extending between saidmounting elements and including quick-release clamping means forremovable attachment to the goose-neck of said bicycle.
 3. Anarrangement according to claim 2, wherein said article holding member isan infant seat.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein saidarticle holding member is a basket.
 5. An arrangement according to claim2, wherein said mounting bracket is permanently secured to saidgoose-neck by the same bolt that is normally used to secure thegoose-neck to the related vertical portion of the bicycle frame.
 6. Anarrangement according to claim 2, wherein said clamping means includes agenerally U-shaped clamping element adapted to receive said goose-neck,and a quick-release buckle element movably connected to one forward endof the clamp element and adapted to be removably connected to anotherforward end of said clamp element in front of said goose-neck.
 7. Anarrangement according to claim 3, wherein said infant seat includes alower cushion supporting frame and an upper retaining and supportingframe.
 8. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said verticallyextending mounting elements present, adjacent the lower ends thereof,outwardly projecting foot rests.
 9. An arrangement according to claim 8,wherein the vertical position of said foot rests is readily adjustable.